For most of my life, I’ve said I am fine without knowing my birth/first mother. That is untrue. The reality is somewhere in the middle. Pondering my roots is not keeping me awake at night, but I do wonder about my beginnings more often than I’ve previously admitted. I am curious to know anything about… Continue reading Even If I Could Find my Birthmother – Fear Prevents Me
Tag: narrative
I saw the adoption epic Lion. I was underwhelmed.
I put off watching Lion for months now, afraid it would be too emotional for me. I’d built it up, heard so many other adoptees and non-adopted folks gush about it, say how gut wrenching it was and how I ‘had’ to see it. Purposely, I stayed away from all reviews of it and only… Continue reading I saw the adoption epic Lion. I was underwhelmed.
Joy and Isolation: My Experience as a Stay-at-Home Dad – Part II
Thanks to all who commented, shared and gave feedback on Part I. I did not realize that many stay-at-home moms felt similarly. I appreciated hearing your experiences and I’m grateful for your support as a stay-at-home dad and writer. Playgrounds are alienating. Sonali loves them. I find them intimidating and uncomfortable. I’ve entered a women’s domain… Continue reading Joy and Isolation: My Experience as a Stay-at-Home Dad – Part II
Joy and Isolation: My Experience as a Stay-at-Home Dad – Part I
I recently began the hardest and most rewarding job of my life, being a stay-at-home dad. I lost my job in March 2016 and after a year-long job search that yielded little fruit, I now watch Sonali 50 hours a week. It’s difficult. Spending all day with an 11-month old that can’t talk, walk and… Continue reading Joy and Isolation: My Experience as a Stay-at-Home Dad – Part I
Adoptees Grow Up, Stop Treating Us Like Perpetual Children!
I’ve become more aware of the infantilization of adult adoptees, due to my work with the Adoptee Rights Campaign to give adoptees US Citizenship. The Adoptee Citizenship Act fills a loophole in the Child Citizenship Act of 2001, which gave all international adoptees US citizenship age 18 and younger. A common question I receive is… Continue reading Adoptees Grow Up, Stop Treating Us Like Perpetual Children!
If My Adoption Story is ‘Valuable’ to You, then Pay Me for Telling it.
My wife and I were driving somewhere recently and began talking about Bill and Hillary Clinton’s speaking fees, between $150,00 and $300,000 dollars. Regardless of your politics, I think we can all agree that $300,000 dollars to speak is outrageous. There probably is not a single one of you who wouldn’t take even half that amount… Continue reading If My Adoption Story is ‘Valuable’ to You, then Pay Me for Telling it.
Adoptees Inch Closer to US Citizenship and We Need Your Help!
Thousands of intercountry adoptees lack US citizenship. But there are two bi-partisan bills, in the House and Senate that would end this travesty. The Adoptee Rights Campaign (ARC), a coalition of adoptees and advocates launched our Family is MORE than DNA campaign! This postcard campaign, features a picture collage of adoptive families and our goal is to send 35,000… Continue reading Adoptees Inch Closer to US Citizenship and We Need Your Help!
Do you want to see the world? – Thoughts on Fatherhood
Our daughter Sonali Robyne Bryant was born on May 26, 2016. Her name means ‘golden’ in Hindi. Robyne is my mother’s name. I’m now a father. As I wrote about here, Sasmita and I decided not to learn our baby’s gender before birth, we both wanted the surprise. The doctors and attending nurses assumed we… Continue reading Do you want to see the world? – Thoughts on Fatherhood
Babies and Language; a Personal Story
Recently my mother and I had a conversation about infant children and language. She was excited to see that her youngest grandson, barely one-year-old, recognized her voice. She recently returned from a trip to visit my brother’s family in Denver, Colorado and was ‘Skyping’ with them. It was remarkable to her, she said, how much his… Continue reading Babies and Language; a Personal Story
Facing Fatherhood as an Adoptee
Sasmita and I will be parents in early June of 2016! We are excited, but not ready to be parents. Then again, who is? We told my parents during Thanksgiving and called her folks in India, via Skype shortly afterwards, sharing our happy news across the globe. As I contemplate Fatherhood, thoughts of my own… Continue reading Facing Fatherhood as an Adoptee
‘A.J – I Saw a Creature Today’
Recently, Sasmita and I were eating dinner. About halfway through, her eyes got big, and she excitedly told me that she saw ‘a big creature’ today, in the yard by the mailbox. Intrigued, as always, by such pronouncements, I told her to continue. She told me that it stood as tall high as my knee, with a… Continue reading ‘A.J – I Saw a Creature Today’
Should India seek British Reparations for Colonialism?
Perhaps, but they should look internally as well, realizing they bear plenty of responsibility for their underdevelopment. In mid-July 2015, MP Shashi Tharoor gave an impassioned plea for Indian reparations after more than 200 years of British colonialism. You can watch the 15-minute clip below. Many Indians, both in the country and abroad lauded his words.… Continue reading Should India seek British Reparations for Colonialism?
Stories Catching My Eye
It’s been a while since I posted what I’ve read lately, so I’ll share a longer list this time. The Tragedy of the American Military An insightful piece about the disconnect between ordinary US citizens and the military and the many consequences of such distance and misunderstanding. The Rapist Next Door This story is about Alaska’s rape… Continue reading Stories Catching My Eye
The First Christmas Knowing my Indian family
Sasmita and I celebrated our third Christmas holiday season together in 2014. But it was the first Christmas that I actually know my Indian side of our family, the Nayaks. As I wrote about here, Sasmita and I visited them in June 2014. We had an Indian wedding ceremony and stayed in her village, Alligonda at her parent’s house for a… Continue reading The First Christmas Knowing my Indian family
A Small Thank You to my Parents this Thanksgiving 2014
For those unaware, this is National Adoption Awareness Month. There has been a lot of social media about this, some good pieces in well-known magazines, like the NY Times and elsewhere. National Adoption Month, was created to raise awareness and celebrate foster care adoption. In recent years it has been co-opted by the Adoption lobby and by those… Continue reading A Small Thank You to my Parents this Thanksgiving 2014